Britney Spears’ new lawyer formally requests her father be removed from conservatorship

Petition asks for Jason Rubin to be named as the new conservator of her estate

Britney Spears attends the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton on 12 April 2018 in Beverly Hills, California (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Britney Spears’ lawyer has requested a new conservator of her estate.

Mathew S Rosengart, who was appointed as Spears’ new lawyer on 14 July, has filed a petition in Los Angeles probate court asking for Jason Rubin to be named as the new conservator of her estate.

If the request is approved, Rubin would replace Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, who has controlled all of his daughter’s financial decisions since 2008.

Rosengart has also filed a petition asking for Jamie Spears to be permanently removed from his position.

Rubin is a Certified Public Accountant who specialises in forensic accounting. According to his website, he has “managed complex trust portfolios” and “also has experience in working on financial elder abuse litigation”. Spears’ estate was listed as including cash assets of $2.7m (£1.9m) and non-cash assets of more than $57m (£41m).

Via the New York Times, the lawyer noted that Spears “has sufficient capacity to choose her own legal counsel, she likewise has sufficient capacity to make this nomination.”

The filing also includes a request for Rubin to be able to revoke all the other power of attorneys that are currently in place for Spears, including the power to make healthcare decisions on her behalf.

It also applies to professional commitments, and would give him “the power and authorisation to pursue opportunities related to professional commitments and activities including but not limited to performing, recording, videos, tours, TV shows, and other similar activities as long as they are approved by the conservator of the person, the conservatee’s medical team”, NPR reported.

A hearing regarding this petition is scheduled for 13 December.

Last week, Rosengart declared he was working “aggressively” to remove her father Jamie from her conservatorship after judge Brenda Penny gave the pop star permission to choose a new attorney to represent her for the first time since 2008. The decision came after her court-appointed lawyer Samuel Ingham stepped down.

Rosengart’s firm has previously represented celebrities including Ben Affleck and Steven Spielberg.

“First, I once again want to thank Britney Spears for her courage and for her strength,” Rosengart said shortly after he was appointed as her lawyer.

“I want to thank Judge Penny for her courtesy welcoming my firm and I into this case. And I also want to thank Britney Spears’s fans and supporters. The outreach and support for my firm, myself, and most importantly, Britney, has truly been overwhelming.”

He continued: “Finally and the last thing I’m going to say about this matter… my firm and I are moving aggressively and expeditiously to file a petition to remove Jamie Spears unless he resigns first.”

During explosive testimony in court last month, Spears claimed that her father “should be in jail” for not doing “a goddamn thing” to improve her situation.

However, a week later the judge denied Spears’ request to remove Jamie from her guardianship.

Jamie said in a statement that he is “sorry to see his daughter in so much pain,” adding that he “loves his daughter and misses her very much”.

He also denied having power over his daughter’s personal affairs for nearly two years, and filed documents asking the court to investigate “serious allegations regarding forced labour, forced medical treatment and therapy, improper medical care, and limitations on personal rights”.